Sir, – Stephen Collins ("Holohan appointment a political molehill", Opinion & Analysis, April 15th) makes valid points in relation to the abandoned appointment of Dr Tony Holohan to a professorship in public health in TCD.
As sure as night follows day, we will experience another pandemic at some point in the future. It is vital that all of the lessons, both good and bad, from Covid-19 are properly recorded in preparation for that eventuality.
Dr Holohan is singularly placed to undertake that role. I do not imagine it would be feasible to do it whilst simultaneously leading the public health service as chief medical officer.
The net result of the commentariat’s frenzied pontification is that Dr Holohan will retire shortly and the State’s corporate memory at the highest level of its response to the virus will be lost.
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No doubt the process could have been managed far better by the secretary general of the Department of Health. His ham-fisted approach should not be the last word on the matter and every effort must be made to ensure Dr Holohan can fully document the progress and responses to the virus in the national interest. – Yours, etc,
DFM DUFFY,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – Stephen Collins writes that Tony Holohan was forced to withdraw from “a position for which he was uniquely qualified”. Since the post was created uniquely for him, how could it be otherwise? – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’DOWD,
Dunshaughlin,
Co Meath.
Sir, – I am astonished at the tone and content of Stephen Collins’s column headed “Appointment of Holohan a political molehill”. The tone is set early in his article by characterising the Opposition and the media as sniping and overreacting for having the temerity to do their jobs.
He proceeds to describe the chief medical officer (CMO) as uniquely qualified.
There is a certain uniqueness when you are the only candidate for a position.
To characterise the response to the completely irregular and hugely expensive proposal, apparently conceived without the knowledge of the Minister, as appalling and mean-minded is simply wrong.
Nobody is gainsaying the work and dedication of the CMO; hundreds of thousands of others did their jobs with selflessness and in many cases at considerable personal risk during the past two years. None to my knowledge were offered any golden deals.
Your columnist could do worse that draw attention to the number of additional ICU nurses the proposed package would finance over the next decade. – Yours, etc,
TERRY GRIFFIN,
Dublin 9.